


Electric Circus

by indelibleink89



Series: A Life of Deviancy [6]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Connor Deserves Happiness, Gavin Deserves Happiness too tbh, Gavin Reed Redemption, Good Parent Hank Anderson, I hate tagging I'm so bad at it, Lots of Whump, Lots of cursing just fyi, M/M, Mild Android Violence, Post-Pacifist Best Ending (Detroit: Become Human), This is a pro-Gavin fic, This was supposed to be a one shot lmao, more tags to be added with future chapters, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-08
Updated: 2018-12-22
Packaged: 2019-09-13 22:00:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,663
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16900605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/indelibleink89/pseuds/indelibleink89
Summary: It seemed in the days after the Android Revolution, humans kept finding new ways to exact violence on those they felt should be subservient. In the latest attempt, androids are turning up at an alarming rate completely fried. Electromagnetic Pulses are nothing to laugh at, and as Connor and Hank quickly find out, not so easy to track down. Will they stop this string of murders before it gets out of hand, or will Connor be forced to find only empty shells before he becomes one himself?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Sooo this was originally gonna be a one-shot.... until it wasn't. I hope you enjoy it!
> 
> (Also I just want to say thank you for all the hits and kudos and comments on my previous works in this series. I really appreciate all of it!!)

The orange light of the setting sun cast a glow on the scene before them. Connor straightened his blazer as he stood from the pool of blue blood on the ground. His analysis confirmed it as a match for the AP700 that lay only ten feet away. Hank had already started inspecting the body, and as Connor neared, he shook his head.

“Somethin’ seem odd to you?” The Lieutenant asked gruffly. Nothing about their cases was ever really normal, but Connor knelt down to inspect anyway.

There was drying blue blood leaking from his nose, eyes, and ears. Strangely, though, there were no signs of physical trauma. At least, not from the outside. With a sigh, Connor scanned the lifeless android. “He has extensive damage to his biocomponents, as well as his wiring system.” He explained as he discovered the problem. Something had destroyed the android from the inside. There were few things that could do this.

“I was afraid you’d say that.” Hank grumbled, and Connor stood to face him again. “The same as the android we saw last week?” He huffed when Connor nodded. 

“It seems as though his system was damaged by an electromagnetic pulse of some kind.” Connor found himself repeating the words he’d spoken only eight days prior. Worry began to form in his mind that they were looking at the makings of a serial killer. One that was only harmful to his people. He didn’t like it. An EMP that was strong enough to do this to a fully functioning android was bad news, especially in the hands of someone with bad intentions.

“Shit.” Hank mumbled, mostly to himself. “If this is the same guy, he’ll probably strike again.” Connor nodded once more. They seemed to be on the same page, at least.

“If the suspect had been kind enough to leave the device here, I could use it to track a similar pulse.” Connor crossed his arms, as he scanned the ground, unsurprisingly not finding anything helpful. 

Hank let out a sharp laugh at this, “Something tells me we’re not gonna be that lucky.” 

Despite himself, Connor felt a half smile push its way on his face as he quipped, “We’re always lucky, Lieutenant. Maybe not in a _good_ way, but lucky all the same.” 

Hank rolled his eyes, dismissively waving his hand at the android, “Don’t even know what that means, ya smart ass.” Connor chuckled to himself before his partner spoke again, “Can you use that luck to tell me _when_ this sorry fellow was microwaved, huh?” 

Connor had to keep himself from reminding Hank that EMP was not at all the same thing as a microwave as he answered, “No. Unfortunately, I can’t put an exact time on it, but it does seem that it’s been a while. There was no sign of any significant heat signature left inside the body.”

Another grumble came from the older man as Connor turned away again, eyeing the two other officers who were on the scene with them. His mind wandered as he watched them directing onlookers away from the situation. The AP700 was too close to the street. It could have easily been one of many casualties had another android been in the area at the time. Something nagged at the back of Connor’s mind as he thought of the destruction someone could cause with a device such as this. He would need to find this person quickly. But, with no leads, that wouldn’t prove to be easy. Just once, he wanted a case to be easy.

\---

By the time they’d found the fifth victim of the EMP Murderer, Connor was ready to self-destruct from the stress. He’d only been able to bring in one suspect on the case, and they’d turned out to be a dead end. Frustration seemed to be his default emotion, and it was straining his relationship with his partner. He didn’t _mean_ to snap at Hank whenever he tried to cheer the android up, but that didn’t stop him. 

Chloe seemed to be the only one at the station willing to have a conversation with him, for which he was grateful. Maybe it was because she always made a point to talk to him about everything except the case, but she helped to ease the tension he was constantly carrying inside of him. 

None of his fellow officers outwardly blamed him, but he knew they were thinking it was his fault. He certainly was. He was supposed to be advanced. He was supposed to be specifically designed to take down any criminal, no matter what. He wasn’t supposed to be useless.

The morning that Hank suggested Connor be removed from the case, claiming it was for his own safety, he exploded. The Lieutenant had no idea what he was talking about. Connor _needed_ to solve this. There was no other option. He’d already promised Markus and his friends at Jericho that he would stop whoever was behind this attack on their people. He couldn’t let them down. These were the words he hurled at his partner, along with a few others which weren’t quite so pleasant, before he stormed out of the station. He didn’t stop when Hank demanded he come back, didn’t stop when Chris tried to reason with him, didn’t stop when Chloe called his name sadly. No, he didn’t stop walking until he’d made it all the way to where they’d found the fifth android. This one had been a YK500 model. Somehow, it had felt worse than all the others. 

Connor scanned every inch of the empty lot eighty-two times before he finally gave up. There was nothing here to help. He’d already examined every android and every scene, so why? Why couldn’t he solve this case? Why couldn’t he do the very thing he was built to do? If he couldn’t do this, if he couldn’t protect his people, what good was he? 

After two hours of fruitless search, Connor finally gave up. As he walked through the darkening streets, he wondered where he should go. Surely Hank would still be angry with him for how he’d acted. He would have to apologize later. Maybe he could stop by the book store to purchase an apology non-fiction novel. Those seemed to be Hank’s favorites. Perhaps he could win the man back with a hot take on World War 2. 

He was so lost in thought that he didn’t notice the car that had just passed him stop, then flip into reverse until it had come to a halt next to him. “Hey, tin can!” The familiar gruff voice shook him from his thoughts and he turned to look at the man now driving slowly to keep pace with the walking android. 

“Detective Reed?” He asked, puzzled as to why the man was grinning out of an open window at him. 

“The hell are you doing in this part of town? You trying to die?” Gavin’s tone suggested that he wouldn’t be too upset were this to happen.

Connor ignored the question and merely continued, muttering, “Have a good evening, Detective.” Hoping the man would understand the dismissal. He did not. Or he ignored it in kind.

“A pretty thing like you shouldn’t be wandering the streets at night. There’s a lot of sick freaks out there.” Gavin seemed to find his own joke quite hilarious, but Connor merely rolled his eyes. Had he been in a better mood, he might have let the Detective goad him into the banter. Lately, their spiffs had been different, less vicious. It would be easy to engage. Tonight, though. He simply didn’t have it in him. 

“Goodbye, Detective.” He tried once more to get rid of the man. The car stopped as Connor continued, and for a moment he was hopeful that would be the end of it. Until the car turned off and Gavin was getting out, jogging to catch up to him.

“Come on, twink, you didn’t even let me tell you how hilariously upset Anderson was.” Gavin irritatingly spoke. “He looked like a damn balloon ready to pop. It was priceless!”

“ _Stop_ calling me- wait.” Connor finally stilled, facing Gavin for the first time that night, “Is he still upset?” He was worried that a book might not be enough to assuage Hank’s anger.

Gavin shrugged at this as he pulled his coat more tightly around himself to stave off the December night air. “I don’t fuckin’ know. I left like an hour ago. Just figured I could congratulate you on being one of the few to make Anderson practically pop a blood vessel.” 

Connor rolled his eyes again, “Well, you’ve accomplished your mission. You can leave now.” He began to walk once more. He could still make it to the book store before they closed.

“And miss an opportunity to kick you while you’re down? Who do you think I am?” Gavin followed him again. Connor couldn’t tell if he was being sarcastic, but it didn’t much matter. It was starting to grate on him either way.

He was considering literally just running away from Gavin when they rounded a corner and Connor practically knocked over a man who was leaning against the wall. He stumbled into Gavin who simply snorted, making no effort to steady the android. 

“I’m so sorry!” Connor said after he righted himself. The man barely seemed phased as he shrugged. His face was mostly hidden by a large scarf around his neck and a ballcap depicting the logo for the Detroit Gears. Connor felt a pang of guilt as he was reminded of Hank.

“No problem.” The stranger’s voice was deep and slightly muffled by the scarf. He showed them little interest until Connor watched his gaze rest on the still yellow LED at his temple. The man stood straight then, hands shoving into his pockets. “Wait. I know you, right?”

To his knowledge, Connor had never seen this man before in his life. At least, he’d never _heard_ him before. His face was too concealed to be recognizable. Then again, he supposed it didn’t much matter. How many countless news broadcastings had his face been a part of? There was no telling which version of the story this man had heard when it came to the revolution. Honestly, he didn’t feel like sticking around to find out.

“No, I don’t believe so.” Connor turned away, hoping Detective Reed wouldn’t hinder him trying to scurry away quickly. “Have a good night.” 

“Wait.” The man spoke again, and Connor saw Gavin’s face scrunch up out of the corner of his eye. “You’re one of them revolutionists, right? I saw you on the news.” 

Connor finally turned back around as he said, “You must be mistaken. I’m-” He stopped short when he realized that the man was holding something. It was small, black, and spherical. His first instinct was to scan it, and when his programming revealed what it was, he could almost taste the fear that overtook him. Raising his hands in as harmless a gesture as he could muster, he spoke again, thankful that his voice didn’t waver. “We mean no harm.” He wasn’t sure if that really mattered, but it was worth a shot.

“Hey,” Gavin commanded gruffly, and Connor could see him pull his gun from his belt. “Drop it!” Connor was lucky that while Gavin was certainly annoying, he was a good cop and could understand a suspicious device when he saw it. 

The man frowned at Gavin then, “I have no problem with you. You can walk away now and pretend you never saw anything.” 

Gavin glanced at Connor, who gave him what he assumed to be a look of terror as that was his current emotion. Honestly, he didn’t know if Gavin would care if this man fried Connor’s entire body in a split second. He just hoped that his dislike of criminals was deeper than how he felt toward the android. 

Looking back to the man, Gavin commanded, “What the hell is that thing?” His gun still trained on him. 

A smile so cold that even Connor could feel it spread on the stranger’s face, “Something that’s gonna help us get rid of every fucking android on this planet.” 

Connor didn’t have time to react before he pressed the button. He didn’t have time to warn Gavin that he was about to die. He didn’t have time to try and disarm the man. He only had time to realize that he was doomed before the wave hit him and he dropped to the ground. 

Connor couldn’t feel pain like humans, but he knew that this was the closest he would ever get. As he felt the sharp electricity radiate throughout every inch of him, and the red warnings began to pop up all over his vision, pain was the only word he could use to describe it. Someone was screaming, and he realized vaguely that it was his own voice. He couldn’t move, could only see the words that reminded him of his tragic demise. 

**// WARNING: SHUTDOWN IMMINENT IN 10:32 //**

Well, that was more time than he’d thought it would take. He was on fire, he was certain of it. That was the only explanation for the pain that didn’t recede. Would he really have to endure this for 10 minutes? It seemed cruel, but maybe this was his karma. He couldn’t find the man who’d been slaughtering his people until it was too late for him to do anything about it. Maybe he deserved to die like this.

“Holy shit, Connor! Yo, you still with me?” Gavin’s voice broke through the screeching in his head. Blinking, Connor tried to dismiss some of the warnings so that he could at least partially see the detective who seemed to be kneeling in front of him. “I just told you where I fucking am!” Gavin spat sharply, and Connor realized he was on the phone. “Get your asses here now!” 

Suddenly, another figure plowed into Gavin, sending him flying out of Connor’s field of vision. He tried to get up, to move towards the sounds of scuffling so that he could assist in detaining the man. He was able to flop over onto his stomach, but much else was impossible. He could see them now. Gavin was trying to pin the man down, but he was too quick. He punched the detective square in the jaw and he fell back. The man sprinted away and Gavin stood, but stopped, looking back to Connor who still lay helpless and spasming on the ground. 

“Fuck!” He exclaimed to no one in particular, and moved back to Connor, kneeling down once more to grab the android.

“Detective, what-” Connor’s voice was warped as he struggled to speak.

“Shut up, you plastic prick, I’m not above punching you in the face right now.” Gavin complained as he pulled Connor up, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. “I swear to God if you die on me right now and I let that asshole get away without following him, I’m going to kill you.”

Connor wanted to tell him that his sentence made no sense, but he didn’t have the energy. He didn’t even know how he was half limping as Gavin dragged him down the sidewalk. It felt like an eternity before they reached Gavin’s car, and the man none-too-nicely threw the android into his back seat. 

Gavin cursed to himself and to other drivers as he sped away. Connor wondered where he was taking him. The hospital did have Android Physicians, but he didn’t think there was anything they could do to help him at this point. His own body was trying frantically to repair itself, but it was working much too slowly. He would shut down before it had the chance to get halfway there.

As he lay in the darkness of the car, still in agony, Connor wished that he could go back in time and do so many things differently. Starting with not blowing up at Hank this afternoon. At least his closest friend wouldn’t be furious with him as he died. Then again, if he could change it, he wouldn’t have been out on the street, at all. He’d be at home now, trapped underneath the mass that was Sumo and probably watching basketball, predetermining every move before they happened.

He hoped that Hank would be okay. It was unfair for him to lose Connor now that he’d been… well, happier. Connor had hoped that he would be able to see even more progress with the man’s recovery. Just last week, he’d confessed that he was thinking of seeing a therapist. Now… now, Connor wasn’t sure what would happen. He could only pray to whatever deity there was that he wouldn’t go backwards.

Connor’s thoughts were still on Hank as Gavin slammed on the brakes, and bolted out of the car. A second later, he was pulling Connor out into the artificial light of a parking lot that he recognized belonged to the DPD. 

**// SHUTDOWN IMMINENT IN 05:25 //**

Connor didn’t have the strength to ask what they were doing here. Was Gavin already trying to throw Connor into the evidence room?

As they burst through the front door and all eyes turned to them, Connor heard Gavin shout, “Where the fuck is that android doctor?!”

Other voices joined his and Connor was finding it hard to distinguish them. Before he realized what was happening, Gavin dragged him into the conference room, and someone closed the door against the noise of the bull pen. 

“How long ago was he exposed to the pulse?” Someone that Connor recognized as Doctor Mullins asked quickly. 

“I-I don’t know. Five minutes?” Gavin sounded strange as he answered. 

“Incredible.” The woman remarked quietly. “How is he still alive?” 

Connor felt himself hoisted onto the table, and Doctor Mullins’ dark skin swam into view. “Connor, I need you to go into stasis. That’s the only way I have a chance of saving you.” 

“I d-d-don’t know i-i-i-if-“ 

“Shut up, tin can, just do it!” Gavin demanded gruffly. 

**// SHUTDOWN IMMINENT IN 01:01 //**

It looked like he didn’t have a choice.

Just as he was about to initiate the process, the door to the conference room burst open and Connor didn’t have to see him to know that it was Hank. 

“WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING?” Hank boomed as he came into Connor’s view. 

“Connor was hit with an electromagnetic pulse, Lieutenant.” Doctor Mullins explained impatiently. “I’m having him go into stasis so that I can try to repair the damage before his body gives out.” 

Hank’s expression was stricken as he looked down at Connor, who spluttered out, “Hank, I-I-I’m s-s-sorry.” 

He felt Hank take his hand as he replied, “It’s alright, son. We can talk about it when Doctor Mullins fixes ya up.” 

Connor wasn’t sure that she _could_ ‘fix him up’, but he just gave Hank a shaky smile before closing his eyes and initiating stasis. The last thing he thought as he drifted into unconsciousness was that he hoped someone else would be able to solve the case that he couldn’t. Maybe his death wouldn’t be for nothing if they did.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A (sort of) new face joins the team.

Hank Anderson was not a patient man. Anyone who’d known him for any amount of time could tell you this. So, the fact that he hadn’t berated the doctor who’d been diligently working on his partner for the last three hours was something of a personal goal. She’d tried to make him leave the room at first, but they both knew that that wouldn’t be happening. Not until he knew that Connor would be alright. Gavin had left after about two minutes, but Hank did not miss him at all.

He’d had to physically restrain himself from asking what she was doing every time she detached a part of his friend. He hadn’t been able to stop himself from snapping at her, however, when she’d quite literally ripped Connor’s heart out of his chest. She’d assured him that it was too damaged to stay, and quickly replaced it with an identical one. 

It was after hour three that the silence had been too much, and he’d needed to make _some_ kind of small talk. 

“So,” He started, trying not to sound like a nosy old man, “That fancy little cart there got every piece you need to fix him up?” He was referring to the silver set of drawers that had arrived at the station along with the doctor. Any time she’d had to patch Connor up, she’d gone to it. The CyberLife logo on the side had never sat well with Hank, though he knew that she’d been employed by them.

Dr. Mullins looked up from where she was gingerly holding a few wires inside of Connor’s chest, grunting, “Yes. CyberLife has provided me with sufficient spare parts to keep your android working properly. Although this has proven to be… more challenging than I’d anticipated.” 

Hank frowned at her words, “He’s fine, though, right? You’re fixing him?” 

“He is not in any immediate danger anymore, but he won’t be fully operational until I can finish repairing his wiring.” Dr. Mullins frowned at Hank. “He is incredibly lucky that he wasn’t killed instantly. There was some marvelous engineering that went into making the RK800 line.” 

While he was relieved that Connor seemed to be okay… mostly, Hank felt curiosity pulling at him. “What happened to the other RK800’s?” He heard himself asking. “Connor told me once that if he’d died while investigating the deviants before…” he paused as he assumed she understood what he was referring to, “That CyberLife would have sent another of the same model to replace him.” Luckily, Hank had never had to experience this. The thought of a perfect replica replacing his friend had never sat well with him.

Dr. Mullins pulled away from Connor and faced Hank fully, replying, “I don’t know. I’m not privy to everything CyberLife does.” Hank didn’t appreciate the sass, though he kept his mouth shut. “All I know is that Connor is the only android detective that I’m currently assigned to look after.” 

It wasn’t much of an answer, but it gave Hank a bad feeling. He’d only seen one other RK800 model that night on Belle Isle, and he wasn’t sure how he felt about that. Was Connor the only one who’d been, for lack of a better word, good? The other one had only cared about completing a mission, he’d had no regard for Hank’s life, and possibly even his own. Hank had had a feeling that CyberLife didn’t take failure very well. 

After they’d let the androids loose on the city, it was possible that the others simply just… didn’t make it. Decommissioned would be how they’d describe it. Murder would be Hank’s word.

Maybe he didn’t _want_ to know what had happened to them.

For a while, Hank was quiet again, lost in thought. He was surprised when the woman was the one who spoke again.

“Can I ask you a question?” She inquired as she closed a panel in Connor’s chest.

“Shoot.” Hank replied, unable to keep the curiosity from his face.

Dr. Mullins eyed her patient as she asked, “This android, he means quite a bit to you, does he not?” 

This was not what he’d expected. “Well, yes. He’s my partner.”

She bit her lip before continuing, “Before the revolution, I mostly did routine repairs of the androids at CyberLife. I learned a lot about their hardware. I learned their Biocomponents by heart, and what every single wire does.” She paused, turning to face Hank. “What I didn’t learn was what they were like as people. Treating Connor has been different than I thought it would be. Before, I’d never really thought of androids as anything other than advanced computers. Now… well, I was afraid when I thought he was going to die. I don’t exactly know what to do with that feeling.” 

Slightly taken aback, Hank thought on her words. It wasn’t unexpected that she hadn’t thought of androids as people. Hell, he’d been the same way. After a moment, a slow smile spread on his face as he said, “Yeah, he does that to you. One minute you’re considering shooting him, the next you’re jumping off a building to save his life.” 

Confusion ran across the doctor’s dark face before she shook her head, “Something like that, I suppose.” She said with a small smile. “I’ve just been rethinking the way I’ve treated my patients in the past. Maybe I should have been kinder.”

Hank frowned at this, his eyes flicking to the serene face of his partner. “Maybe you’re not the only one who should be kinder.” He mumbled, mostly to himself. 

“Maybe.” She echoed. 

They were quiet again as Hank watched her pack up her equipment. He was preparing himself to ask about the android’s condition when she answered before he could.

“He’ll be as good as new after he’s had time to readjust to the new parts. He’ll be in stasis for a few more hours. You should probably go home.” The smile she offered him was tired. “And before you ask, moving him would be unwise.”

He _did_ need to go home. Not for himself, but for his dog. Sumo had probably eaten half of the couch by now. He didn’t like leaving Connor, but he knew he’d be back. Now that he knew the android wasn’t going to die, he supposed he could let him out of his sight.

Standing, he cracked his back, and smiled once more at the doctor. “Thank you.” He said, hoping he didn’t sound ingenuine. He really did mean it, after all. 

Dr. Mullins’ face was warmer than he’d ever seen it as she replied, “For Connor? Of course.”

\---

By the time Hank groggily stumbled his way back into the precinct, he was wishing he’d been able to get more than two hours of sleep. His dumb useless body had spent most of the time tossing and turning instead of resting. It was a shame that humans couldn’t be forced into stasis, too.

As he walked past the front desk, he noticed that Chloe was not there. She’d still been in the station by the time Hank had left and he’d assured her that Connor would be alright. Her obvious relief had made Hank smile. He’d have to tease Connor about his girlfriend once he woke up. After he strangled him for almost dying, of course.

Hank was barely paying attention to his surroundings as he marched through the bullpen, his acknowledgement of his peers was half hearted as they greeted him. He only cared about making it to the conference room so that he could stare at his dumb android who always seemed to be getting himself in trouble. 

He almost didn’t see the familiar face, but something in the corner of his eye had made him turn to look towards the center of the station. Standing in front of his desk, eyeing his bulletin board (the anti-android memorabilia had been replaced by articles on their cases), was his partner. 

“Connor!” Hank called, switching course.

The android turned to face him, and Hank realized quickly that something was off. Aside from the odd white and black jacket he was currently wearing (sporting CyberLife’s logo, no less), his eyes were different; colder. Instead of peering into familiar warm brown, Hank was face to face with pale grey. He couldn’t remember seeing the doctor replace the eyes. What the hell? This wasn’t Connor.

“Hello, Lieutenant Anderson.” Not Connor replied pleasantly. Hell, even his voice was a colder version of Connor’s. “I am an RK900 model sent here by CyberLife to assist you in your investigation.” 

RK900? Since when was that even a thing? Hank was too fucking tired for this. He hadn’t even had coffee yet, too impatient to check on his friend.

“Okay. Hold on. Back up.” He held up a hand. “Why are you here? There’s already an android on this investigation.”

“After the RK800’s unfortunate accident last night, CyberLife thought it would be in their best interest if they sent a more advanced model to assist you.” Not Connor’s face was a little too smug as he said this and Hanks’ mouth twitched into a deeper frown. “More specifically,” He continued, “I will be assisting Detective Reed on the case.” 

Hank turned to look at Gavin’s desk, where he sat, slumped in his chair, arms crossed, and probably the pissiest look on his face the man had ever seen. If looks could kill, this RK900 would burst into flames on the spot. Hank had to keep himself from smirking at the thought.

Gavin stood as Hank watched him and crossed the room to stand in front of the android, fidgeting with the badge around his neck as he did so. “Apparently, Nines here is gonna be my new best friend!” He said, voice soaked in sarcasm as he eyed Not Connor. The contempt in his expression would have made any human shrink back. 

“Nines. A suitable nickname. I like it.” The android seemed to be missing the palpable tension between them as he thought on the name choice.

Hank could feel a headache forming behind his eyes and he massaged his forehead as he spoke, “Okay, _Nines._ ” He started. “Why is Detective Reed even on this case?” 

It was Gavin who answered this, “I’m on this case because I just happened to be with your tin can last night when that fucker attacked him. So, _apparently_ I’ve been defected onto team android.” The unhappiness was clear in his voice. It matched how Hank was feeling about this. Working with Reed was about as enticing as jumping into a wood chipper.

“Great.” Hank said, sarcasm in his own voice. “Well, you two can start on your friendship bracelets without me. I’ve got somewhere to be.” 

Nines tilted his head at this. “I assume you’re on your way to the conference room. He hasn’t woken from stasis yet. It is pointless to go see him.” 

Hank frowned at the new android again. “Let me guess. You’re not a deviant.” 

Shaking his head, Nines explained, “I was unfinished when the revolution started. Afterward, they abandoned my production until Mister Kamski himself decided to finish me. Currently, I am the only working RK900 model available. You could say that I am the most advanced android in the world.” 

“Whoopee.” Hank deadpanned and Gavin snorted at the response. 

Unperturbed by the men, Nines continued, “I haven’t had the opportunity to deviate, though I doubt that I will. From what I’ve seen it’s very… inconvenient.” The frown was the most genuine expression Hank had seen on his face. 

Rolling his eyes, Hank turned away, “Well, you do you, Mister Robot. I’m going to check on my partner.” 

Nines began to argue, “I’m not a-” 

“God, will you shut up?” Gavin cut him off and Hank smiled to himself before he entered the conference room and closed the door to that mess behind him.

\---

Before he even opened his eyes, he could see the messages that filled his vision. Blinking, he was confused about the notifications that informed him of his replaced parts. When the memory of what had happened reached his central processor, Connor shot up, eyes wild. He half expected to see the stranger with the EMP device standing in front of him. 

He wasn’t there, of course. The only other person in the room was a startled, and subsequently grumpy, Lieutenant Hank Anderson. “Jesus Christ, kid.” He said, clutching his chest. “You could warn a guy before you do that.” 

At the sight, relief flooded through his systems. He was alive. Hank was here. His body was no longer on fire. Everything was alright. Hank stood from the chair he’d been perched in and Connor used the opportunity to practically leap from the table and throw his arms around the man. 

“Easy there, tiger.” Hank chided softly, stumbling a little from the force of an android launching himself against him. Yet, Connor still felt his arms snake around him all the same.

Shaking his head, Connor clutched his partner more tightly. “I’m sorry, Hank.” He muttered softly.

“Sorry for acting like a tool or sorry for almost dying on me?” Hank asked and Connor suspected he was trying to sound light-hearted, though it wasn’t really working.

“Both, I suppose.” Connor replied sadly.

At that, Hank pulled away to look at him. “I’d tell you not to scare me like that again, but something tells me you’re not gonna listen.” 

Connor frowned at this, “It wasn’t my fault this time, Lieutenant.” Hank scowled, and Connor felt his frown turn into a pout. 

“Don’t give me that look.” Hank huffed. “You could have avoided it if you’d stayed here and not run off like a spoiled child.” 

Looking down in shame, Connor nodded. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.” 

“Gah.” Hank mumbled, rubbing his neck. “It’s over now. No need to wallow in it.” 

Connor looked to his friend again, regret still plain on his face as he asked, “How is Detective Reed?” 

A look that Connor didn’t understand appeared on Hank’s face as he choked out a laugh, “Oh, I’m sure he’s having a grand old time right now.” 

Confused, Connor asked, “Did something happen?” 

Hank’s expression was still hard to read as he responded, “Well, another you showed up to, uh, _assist_ us in our investigation.” 

It took a moment for the words to register, and when they did, Connor felt hope light up his face. “Another RK800?” 

“Well, not exactly.” Hank answered glumly. 

The hope died in his chest as Connor merely stared at the Lieutenant. How could there be another him if it wasn’t one of his model?

“It’s an RK900, apparently. If you ask me, it’s creepy as hell.” 

RK900. Connor had no knowledge of this model’s existence. Then again, he’d been cut off from CyberLife for more than a year. He supposed anything could have happened in that time. 

He could feel Hank watching him as he contemplated what having this new android meant. He supposed it was a good thing. As much as Connor liked the humans, it would be nice to be around more of his own kind every day. He _had_ hoped that eventually he would be able to see more of his own model, but this was close enough. For now, at least. 

“Well, now that you’re not dying, we should probably stop hogging the conference room.” Hank suggested when it was clear that Connor wasn’t going to say anything. 

Nodding in agreement, he straightened his tie, smoothed down his blazer, ran a hand through his hair, and ventured out into the station. 

He’d been expecting the looks and the remarks as he made his way towards his desk, not that it made it any less awkward when he was assuring people that he was alright. It was nice to know they cared, but being worried over was still new to Connor, and he could never seem to get used to it. 

“Hey, where do ya think yer goin’?” Hank asked grumpily as Connor made to sit down. 

“I’m returning to my work.” He answered, not sure why this was an issue. Now that Connor had seen the suspect’s face, he could actually make some headway in the case. 

“Like hell, you are.” Hank crossed his arms, “We’re going home for the day. You just came back from the brink of death like five minutes ago.” 

Connor made an impatient noise as he argued, “I assure you I’m fine. My body has been repaired. I’m fully capable of continuing the investigation.” 

“Listen here, you little-“ Hank stopped himself, heaving a sigh. “Just let me take you home without a fight, for the love of Christ. I’m too tired for this shit.” 

Guilt hit Connor square in the chest at the fatigue on his partner’s face. As much as he was itching to finally get somewhere on the case, it wasn’t worth putting even more strain on his relationship with Hank. 

Just as he opened his mouth to consent, another voice, very close to his own, cut into their conversation. “You should listen to the Lieutenant, Connor. You’ve been through quite the ordeal.”

So, _this_ was the RK900. As Connor studied him, he noted the significant similarities as well as the subtle differences. A scan of his body confirmed that while he was certainly modeled after Connor, there had been… improvements. He didn’t know how to feel about it. 

Hank turned to face the newer android, using a voice that Connor recognized as _trying_ to be nice, “Thanks for the support, but shouldn’t you be bothering Reed right now?” 

Connor had to suppress a smile at the confusion on the RK900’s face as he said, “I simply wanted to meet my predecessor, Lieutenant. We are going to be working together, after all.” 

Stepping around Hank, Connor held out his hand to shake, “It’s nice to meet you, RK900.” He offered politely. 

Taking his hand, the gray eyed android responded, “They call me Nines around here, apparently.” 

“Oh, alright.” Connor nodded at this. “Nines.” 

Hank huffed beside Connor, who could practically hear him rolling his eyes, as the man took hold of his arm, all but dragging him towards the entrance, “Well, we must be off. See ya later, Terminator.” 

Once they were out of ear shot, Connor couldn’t help playfully chiding Hank, “You really should work on your people skills.” 

Letting out a sharp laugh, Hank finally let go of him, “Like you can talk. Now, please stop speaking at least until we get home. I need silence.” 

“Yes, Lieutenant.” Connor answered as cheeky as he could. 

Hank turned back to glare at him from where he was pushing through the door, “Ugh. I need a drink.” 

For once, Connor agreed with him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gavin doesn't get paid enough to deal with this crap.

“For the love of God, Cactus, you can’t eat if you don’t give me the chance to feed you.” Gavin shoved the overweight tabby cat off of the counter as he made his second attempt at scooping the food into the bowl. “You know, you could learn a thing or two about patience from Vlad.” He gestured to the black kitten who sat on the floor, yellow eyes staring intently at his owner. 

Cactus’ answer was a dramatic yowl that cut short as Gavin finally set the bowls on the kitchen floor and both felines raced for their dinner. 

“Ungrateful animals.” Gavin shook his head, but his voice held no contempt. 

Gavin’s own dinner was a bowl of Lucky Charms, which he happily shoved into his mouth as he barely paid attention to the old movie playing on his tv. To be honest, the Detective was ready to call it a night. A glance at his clock told him that it was still early, about 7:30, but he didn’t care. It had been a long couple of days. 

Normally, he enjoyed his job. He loved the thrill of a good mystery, of the challenge it was to solve his cases. Of course, normally he was working alone. One thing Gavin had never wanted or needed was a partner. Yet, somehow he’d ended up saddled with one who was a fucking android. Maybe if he’d been sensible and left Connor to die the other night, he wouldn’t be in this mess. 

He still couldn’t figure out why he’d even bothered saving the android. Maybe it had been his instinct as a police officer to assist someone who was so utterly helpless. He could still remember the awful screech that Connor had let out when he’d fallen. It had been too painfully human for him to ignore. 

Just as Gavin was considering grabbing the bottle of Whiskey he kept on top of the fridge so he could forget all about dealing with androids, there was a sharp knock on his front door. 

No way in hell he was answering that. He really didn’t have the energy to threaten some kid with jail time for trying to sell him a subscription.

When the knock came a second time, harder than before, Gavin was tempted to find his gun and shoot through the wood. Unfortunately that was illegal. 

A third knock finally had him off his ass, stalking down the short hallway towards the door, cereal bowl still in hand. Without bothering to check who was there (a stupid move for a cop), he wrenched the door open, “Fuck off- Oh Jesus Christ.” He’d been in the middle of his insult when he recognized who was standing in his apartment building. 

“Good evening, Detective.” The obnoxious voice of his new _partner_ grated on Gavin’s ears. 

“What the hell are you doing here?” He demanded gruffly. 

Nines tried for a friendly smile as he explained, “I’ve managed to find a possible location for our suspect.” That was fast. They’d only just ID’d the guy that afternoon. Jeffrey Morgan. He was a 42 year old man who’d been replaced by androids at his construction job a couple years back. “I tried to call you but you didn’t answer your phone. So, I had no choice but to come get you.” 

Ugh. The one time Gavin regretted turning off his phone after work. “Jesus, why can’t you just go bother Anderson instead of me?” 

“You are my partner, Detective Reed. You are the first person I will come to with new information.” Gavin was already getting a headache from this conversation. Something that Nines clearly didn’t notice as he continued, “Besides, Lieutenant Anderson says that he and Connor are still on leave.” 

“What?” Gavin spat. “It’s been two days. How much resting does a damn android need?” 

“A fully functioning RK unit needs very little rest, Detective.” Nines looked around Gavin as he spoke, and the man had a feeling that he was scanning his shitty apartment. It didn’t take an advanced prototype detective whatever to figure out that it was a dump. “Aren’t you going to invite me inside?” Nines asked quizzically, as if it were the only sensible thing to do. 

“No.” Gavin grunted. 

“Well, that isn’t very polite.” Nines’ expression was somewhere between exasperated and irritated. Gavin counted that as a win. 

“Well, mercy me. Wherever are my manners?” Gavin put on his best impression of a southern belle, which honestly wasn’t that great. 

When he didn’t move, Nines crossed his arms. “If you won’t let me in, perhaps we should leave immediately.” He gestured to the bowl still in Gavin’s hand, “Are you going to take that with you?” 

Gavin felt his eye twitch as he considered throwing the object in the android’s face. Cheeky bastard. 

Instead, he finally gave in, grumbling, “Come on in. Mi casa es su casa or what the fuck ever. Just don’t touch anything.” Not that anything he owned was really worth being protective of. He just didn’t like the idea of someone snooping. 

Nines followed him inside, closing the door behind him. “Your apartment is… quaint.” He said, clearly trying very hard not to be rude. Must’ve been some ridiculous politeness program or something that CyberLife had shoved in there. 

Moving to the kitchen, Gavin dropped the bowl into the sink and turned back to the android just in time to see a black blur jump on his shoulders. The startled look on Nines’ face made Gavin snort out laughter. 

“That’s Vlad.” He explained as the kitten rubbed its tiny head against the android’s hair. “He’s like an acrobat or whatever. Likes to jump all over the place.” 

“I see.” Nines didn’t seem to know how to stand as he attempted to pet Vlad. “Ah!” Another startled noise left him as, right on cue, Cactus appeared out of nowhere to begin climbing his leg.

This was more amusing that Gavin had thought. “That one is Cactus. I’m sure you can figure out why.” Gavin had lost count of the scratch marks he’d accumulated on his legs over the last two years that he’d owned the cat. 

“This is… quite precarious.” Nines said as he awkwardly tried to pry the hefty cat from his pants leg while balancing Vlad on his shoulders. If Gavin didn’t know any better, he’d say this scene was adorable. But, that was ridiculous. Androids were not adorable.

“Hey, you’re the one who wanted to come inside.” Gavin chuckled as he walked into his bedroom to grab his gun, badge, and coat. He had a feeling that this was going to be a long night. He still had time to grab some whiskey for the road, but he thought better of it. He wouldn’t put it past Nines to arrest him for even thinking about it. It was a good thing he couldn’t read minds. At least, Gavin hoped he couldn’t. 

As he made his way back out towards the foyer, he found his android partner bent down on one knee rubbing Cactus’ belly with a thousand watt smile. Vlad was still on his shoulders, tail swishing back and forth. This was certainly not what he’d expected to see.

“How the hell are you doing that?” Gavin couldn’t help asking. Nines’ smile disappeared as he looked toward the approaching figure.

“I’m not sure what you mean.” He replied before looking back to the fat cat who seemed to be enjoying this way too much.

“Every time I try to touch his stomach, I get an arm full of claws.” Was that jealousy Gavin was feeling? Nah.

“Oh.” Nines shrugged. “I don’t know. I asked him nicely, and he let me. Maybe you just need to ask.” 

A strangled sound found its way out of Gavin at the thought. What the hell was he talking about? Asking a cat? It was a cat. How absurd. “Alright, smart ass. Let’s just go and get this over with, shall we?” 

Nines reached up to take Vlad off of his shoulders and sat him gently on the ground before standing again, looking every inch the stern Robocop once more. “Yes. Let’s go.”

\---

“So, like, are you immune to Electromagnetic pulses or something?” Gavin asked as he peered over at Nines. They were parked across the street from the old house. Apparently, Nines had been able to track the signal given off by the device Connor had come in contact with. 

Nines frowned back at him as he replied, “No. Of course not. I’m a machine.” 

Gavin let out a disgruntled noise, “Then, why exactly were you assigned to this case if you’re just gonna end up like Connor if one of those things hits you?” This sounded like a waste of time. Gavin was _not_ dragging another android down to the station. He’d reached his quota for the year.

“Because I can sense the frequency that the device puts out to know if I’m in any danger. And I can deactivate it remotely.” If it were possible for the android to sound even more obnoxious, he somehow managed it in this moment. 

“What if there’s more than one? What if they use another frequency? Can you deactivate all of them?” Gavin knew he was being facetious, but he couldn’t help it. He wanted to avoid a disaster if this went sideways.

“I’m only sensing one signal at the moment, Detective. There are no other devices inside of the building.” The impatience in his voice almost made Gavin wish he had one of those things to shut him up. Almost.

“Okie dokie then. How close do you have to be to be able to deactivate it?” It would be pointless if he had to be so close that he might as well be holding it.

“Approximately ten feet.”

“Oh, great. Hope you got a stealth program in there somewhere.” 

“I know how to be quiet, Detective. Do you?” 

Gavin’s eye started twitching again as he contemplated all of the excuses he could come up with for shooting this android in the head. He could easily blame it on the suspect. _”It was an accident, Fowler, honest. I was aiming for the perp and Nines just jumped in front of the bullet. There was nothing I could do.”_

“Good.” Nines continued as Gavin dreamed up the scenario, “Now, let’s go. We have a killer to catch.” As he turned away to get out of the car, Gavin saluted him with his middle finger. He could not wait until this case was over so he never had to deal with this asshat again.

They made their way to the building silently, guns out just in case. Gavin wasn’t sure if he trusted that there was only one of anything in this building. Besides, he was half hoping for someone to give him a reason to shoot. Maybe it would help release some of the tension in his head.

Gavin took the front door while Nines made his way to the back. He wondered as he neared the door if this would be easy. Hell, maybe the man would just give himself up. 

Yeah, in his dreams.

When he was satisfied that the porch was not booby trapped, Gavin knocked on the front door, using his Authority Voice when he called, “Jeffrey Morgan? I’d like to ask you a few questions.” A loud banging in the house confirmed that Gavin’s dreams were just that. Using the noise as probable cause, he tried the door handle, finding it unlocked.

As he stepped inside, gun raised, he called again, “Jeffrey? I just wanna talk.” The front room was dark and Gavin used the light of the moon to see his way around. The only light on inside was coming from the top of the staircase that sat just to his left. “Hey, man, listen. I’m on your side.” Gavin said as he made his way slowly up the stairs. “Androids are annoying little fuckers. Just once I’d like to meet one who’s not a self absorbed little shit. Don’t you agree, Jeffrey?” 

He reached the top of the steps, and quickly turned into the dark room on his left, verifying that it was empty before moving down the hall. Next came the bathroom, also empty. Finally, the last room, the one that Jeffrey must have been in when they arrived, lay before him. “Look, Jeffrey. Come on out and we can talk about that fancy remote you’ve got.” 

Inching closer and closer, Gavin entered the room, finding only furniture. Damn. He must have escaped through the window. Just before he turned to leave, he felt a blow to the back of his head. 

“Fuck!” He cried as he fell forward. Hiding behind the door. Of course. Nice moves, Gavin.

Grabbing his gun that had fallen out of his hands, Gavin jumped back to his feet, turning just in time to see Jeffrey bolting down the hallway. Gavin made it as far as the doorway before Nines appeared at the top of the stairs, startling the running man who could barely stop before he hit the android. 

“I killed you!” He shouted in frustration. 

“Incorrect.” Nines replied before knocking him to the ground and quickly incapacitating him. 

Well, shit. 

Gavin rubbed the back of his head as he stumbled closer to the pair, watching Nines handcuff the man as he recited the Miranda Rights. “Damn.” He commented lowly. “Guess you are good for something, after all.” 

Nines glanced at him, ice in his eyes as he replied, “Even though I may be a self-absorbed little shit, I can do my job.” With that, he marched the struggling man down the stairs and Gavin felt his lips curl into a smile. Now he just needed to get rid of this damn headache.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, Gavin does have a black cat named Vladimir Dracule. Aka Dracula. Aka Lil' Drac.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey Connor, why are you the way that you are?

**// WARNING: TEMPERATURE DECLINING //**

**// RECOMMENDED COURSE OF ACTION: FIND SHELTER //**

Connor dismissed the red messages that blocked his view of the city. He knew how cold it was, though he couldn’t feel it. He knew he should find a warmer place soon, and he would. He could stay here for a while longer, though, without damaging his biocomponents. So, instead of heeding the warning, he stayed perched on the bench. 

The tinny sound of his spinning coin was the only noise in the air as he barely paid attention to the motions that were second nature to him. He was alone here, the cold and the time made sure of that. It was why he’d come. As his eyes changed focus from the towering bridge to the fat snowflakes that began to fall, he thought on how long it would take them to soak his clothes. The soft fabric of his sweater certainly wouldn’t last very long. Damn.

Still, he didn’t budge, not wanting to break the serenity he’d found here. He was starting to understand why Hank liked this place so much.

As if he’d summoned it by thinking his name, Connor heard the roar of the car engine that pulled up behind him. He didn’t turn to see who it was. He didn’t have to. For a moment, his stress level spiked as his traitorous mind worried that it _wasn’t_ Hank who’d come for him, but Jeffrey Morgan, back to finish the job. 

His fears were assuaged as the car door opened and the sound of heavy metal filled the night before the door slammed shut once more. Relief that Connor was too embarrassed to admit to feeling flooded his system. It had been a ridiculous thought and he chided himself for even having it.

As he listened to the sound of Hank’s crunching footsteps, his programming began to determine all the ways the conversation could go. For once, he stopped it midway. This time, he didn’t really want to know as all the endings seemed to be less than pleasant. 

He shouldn’t have been surprised as something solid but soft smacked him in the side of the head. As he instinctively grabbed the item, he realized it was a heavy winter coat, the one Hank had insisted on buying for him in mid November. There had been no point in telling the man that he didn’t needed it. Especially now, since, well… he did.

“Put it on before you catch your death.” Hank grunted, breaking the silence. 

Instead of complying, Connor simply let the fabric rest in his lap, turning to frown at his friend, voice sharp as he said, “I don’t need a chaperone everywhere I go, Lieutenant. I’m an adult.” 

Narrowing his eyes, Hank replied, “No, you’re a damn teenager. Didn’t think I was gonna have to deal with one o’ those anymore, but here we are.” Connor felt the words like a slap to the face as he was reminded of Cole. Crossing his arms, Hank continued, “Ya know, I’ve been tryin’ to be nice to you since you almost died ‘n all, but your sass is getting on my last fuckin’ nerve.” 

Connor looked away, studying the snowflakes in the air once more, “I’m sorry, Hank.” He muttered quietly, “It’s a result of my stress. I don’t mean to be,” he struggled for the right word, “Difficult.” 

With a long, low sigh, Hank moved, sitting down next to Connor, “Yeah, well, I know all about being difficult.” He grumbled. “Just ask my ex wife.” 

The joke almost landed. Almost.

With a sigh of his own, Connor pushed the coat to the side and stood, walking a couple paces towards the river before stopping. His coin was still in his hand and he closed his fist around it so tightly that if he’d been human, it would be painful. He waited for Hank to reprimand him for the action, for ignoring his order, but he was quiet. 

Still staring at the horizon, he said, “I’m tired of waiting for this to be easier.” 

“What might that be?” Hank asked behind him.

“Deviancy.” The word was like ice in Connor’s mouth. “I keep thinking that eventually I’ll get the hang of it, and it’ll just come naturally to me.” He took a breath, “But, I’m still waiting. I can’t get a handle on my emotions, I can’t do my job. Maybe I was better as a machine.” 

Hank made a sound of displeasure before saying, “You were never just a machine, Connor.” 

Finally, he turned to face the man, fire in his eyes. “Wasn’t I? On my first mission, I knowingly let an android die when I could have found a way to save him. It didn’t matter to me, it wasn’t part of my mission. When we investigated Carlos Ortiz’s death and I found the android in the attic, he was distraught. He begged me not to tell you he was there, but I did because I didn’t _care_. Only one thing was on my mind and it was so… so easy. Maybe I made a mistake, getting rid of Amanda.” Even now he wasn’t sure that he’d fully gotten rid of her. He’d been unable to access the Zen Garden, and he’d felt no sense of her presence, but he’d always wondered if she’d come back. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if she took control again. Maybe his life would make sense once more.

Hank frowned deeply at him as he barked, “News flash, Connor. Life isn’t easy for anyone. It’s not supposed to be.” He stood up then, stepping closer to the android, “Do you really want to go back to being just a… a fuckin’ tool for some shitty company to use for their own personal gain? You wanna be like Nines?” 

Connor crossed his arms at the mention of the RK900. “Nines has been on the case for less than forty-eight hours and he’s already identified the perpetrator and found his location.” The call from the android in question that they’d received a few hours prior had only confirmed it. “What have I done other than almost get myself killed? If I hadn’t been distracted by my frustration, I could have done my job properly.” 

Hank ran a hand through hair that was already growing out as he said, “Nines was only able to find this information by using your memory. Without that, he’d be in the same boat as you were.” 

A scowl found its way on Connor’s face at this. “You don’t know that. He probably would have found something that I missed. He is a superior model, after all.” 

Hank scoffed, “Look, I get that you’re jealous, but be reasonable here.”

“It isn’t jealousy!” Connor snapped, “These are facts! If I reset myself, I might have a better chance of-”

Stepping forward more quickly than Connor thought him capable, Hank grabbed his shoulders, shaking him as he barked, “Stop it! Stop!” Surprise kept Connor’s mouth shut. “So what if he’s better than you? Who gives a shit? You really think rebooting to factory settings is gonna change that? You really wanna walk around like an empty shell?” He stopped shaking him, but kept a tight grip on his shoulders, “Life is hard, Connor. Hell, a lot of the time it really fucking sucks. But that doesn’t mean you just give up. Maybe I’m not the best person to be tellin’ you this, but it’s true. One thing I’ve learned since I met you is that all the shit is worth it to _feel_. Do you really wanna stop feeling the good stuff just because you can feel the bad stuff, too?” Connor didn’t answer, but he knew his response. No. “Look, I know better than most what it’s like to want to just say ‘fuck it’ and stop trying. But, you don’t get to do that, you hear me? You don’t need… no, you don’t deserve that.”

“Hank, I-” Connor didn’t know how to finish. There was something constricting his vocal processor that had nothing to do with the cold. 

“Look, just,” Hank stared at him intently, “Just promise me you’re not gonna do something stupid. If anyone’s allowed to do stupid shit here, it’s me.” 

Connor’s frown deepened at the thought. “I don’t want you to do anything stupid, either.” He countered quietly.

Ignoring Connor’s comment, Hank continued, “You know, it’s hard for me to admit. I’m not exactly good at the soft shit, but,” He paused, obviously having trouble with his words. “If you weren’t… you anymore, I’d be… well, I wouldn’t be happy about it. I’m not sure if you noticed, but I wasn’t exactly put together before you came along. Yeah, this shit isn’t easy, but it’s easier when you’ve got someone else there. And I’m… I’m glad I have you.” 

Connor could feel the way the corner of his mouth pushed itself upward. “Okay. I promise.”

Relief was evident in Hank’s eyes before he pulled away, “And for the love of God, put that coat on. My hands are frozen through my gloves right now from touching you.” 

With a nod, Connor complied, eyes turning to the playground as he did so. Quietly, he said, “I wish that I could bring your son back for you, Hank.” He wasn’t sure if the man heard as his comment was followed by silence. Though, when he turned to look at him, he saw a war of emotions playing out on his face. The most predominant was one that he didn’t quite understand.

With a shake of his head, Hank turned towards the car, voice tight as he muttered, “I know.”

Sensing that the conversation was over, Connor followed him silently, ready to go home.

\---

_Somehow, _his headache still hadn’t gone away and he was glad to be able to use it as an excuse to sit out the first round of questioning. Leaning against the wall as he peered through the two way mirror at the scene, Gavin frowned. How long had it been since they’d brought the guy in and he hadn’t said a damn word? No, Gavin wouldn’t be able to deal with it until he knew he could get some answers.__

__Instead, he’d let Anderson go in with Nines, not that Hank was happy about it. Gavin had had to remind him that it _was_ his case, after all. He should at least have to deal with questioning the asshole._ _

__Glancing to his left, he saw Connor leaning back in his chair, arms crossed, looking like he wanted to be literally anywhere but here. That made two of them. Still, Gavin couldn’t help but notice just how different he looked compared to the first time he’d seen him in this room. He looked, well, human. Aside from the pulsing yellow LED on his temple, if Gavin didn’t know him, he wouldn’t be able to tell he was anything but._ _

__Connor must have sensed Gavin’s stare, because his eyes flitted over to him and his expression smoothed over. Oh fuck, he was gonna use this opportunity to talk to him._ _

__“Detective,”_ _

__Damn it._ _

__“What is it, tin can?” Gavin grumbled, pointedly looking back into the interrogation room to watch Hank struggle to get a reply._ _

__“I haven’t had the chance to thank you for saving my life.” Connor continued. Gavin had to admit that this was not what he’d expected to hear._ _

__“Oh, uh, don’t mention it. Seriously. I’d really rather not talk about it, like at all.” He did his best to sound as unfriendly as possible in hopes that the android would go quiet again._ _

__“Still,” Connor kept going, much to Gavin’s annoyance, “Thank you. I know how you feel about me, and you could have easily left me there. I’m very glad you didn’t.”_ _

__“Good for you.” Gavin muttered, hoping that was the end of it. They fell silent for a moment and he thought maybe he could focus properly on the interrogation._ _

__“Can I ask you a question?”_ _

__Urgh. Jesus Christ, these androids needed a mute button._ _

__With a frustrated noise, Gavin turned to face Connor as he snapped, “What is it? We’re kind of in the middle of something here.”_ _

__There was a strange mixture of emotions on his face as he asked, “Why did you save me?”_ _

__The question stopped him short, and he could only blink at the android as he thought on it. Hell, he still didn’t even understand it himself. Why would he risk anything to save this plastic prick? It certainly wasn’t because he liked him. That was absurd. All they did was banter when they saw each other. Granted, it was fun to get a rise out of Connor, but it wasn’t like he cared about his feelings or whatever. He wouldn’t be sad if he walked into the station one day to realize Connor was never coming back, and he _definitely_ wouldn’t miss him._ _

__With that out of the way, he waved dismissively at Connor, gesturing towards the old man as he said, “Hell, you know Anderson. He’d flay me alive if he realized I let anything happen to you.”_ _

__Connor didn’t look one hundred percent convinced, but he nodded at the explanation. “I see.”_ _

__While it was very true that Hank would more than likely put a bullet somewhere in Gavin’s body if he’d let Connor die, even he knew this was bullshit. But, what else was he supposed to say? There was no real reason (that he’d admit to himself anyway) for what he’d done._ _

__“I’d also like to apologize.” Annoyingly, Connor kept speaking. Yet this, at least, made Gavin curious._ _

__“What for, pray tell?”_ _

__With a sigh, Connor’s gaze moved to the other room as he spoke, “I understand now, how you felt when I first arrived here. It’s not… ideal to feel like you’re being replaced.”_ _

__Gavin followed his line of sight and realized that he was looking at Nines._ _

__Oh, wow. Was the tin can jealous? Of the other tin can? This was gold. Or at least, it should have been. Gavin should have been laughing it up right now. But the sadness that was obvious on Connor’s dumb soft face only made him shake his head and return to his original position._ _

__“Yeah, you androids have been a real pain in everyone’s ass when it comes to job stealing.” Gavin said sharply before shrugging, “But, you know what? I look at it like just another challenge. Maybe you are better than me with your fancy built in equipment and shit, but that doesn’t mean I’m not gonna work my ass off to go farther than you.” He glanced back at Connor who was again giving him his full attention. “That’s what you gotta do. As shitty as it is, someone is always gonna be better than you are. That’s when just work harder… or you plant evidence and get them fired. Both are acceptable ways to win in my book.” Without realizing what he was doing, he gave him a cheeky wink before looking back to the others._ _

__Thankfully, Connor didn’t mention it as they quieted again._ _

__Hopefully now they could actually pay attention to their investigation._ _

__As he watched, Gavin saw Hank fall silent and Nines, whom Jeffrey had been eyeing the entire time they’d been sitting at the table, finally spoke. “We know why you hate Androids, Mister Morgan. We have enough evidence to put you away for a very long time. We don’t need your cooperation. But, if you _do_ tell us where you received this device,” Nines held up the evidence bag that held the now useless EMP, “We may be able to work out a deal.” _ _

__Morgan finally spoke then, voice dripping in venom, “Does that deal involve me getting to fry your systems to a crisp?”_ _

__Gavin saw Nines’ eye twitch before he answered, “No, I’m afraid it doesn’t.”_ _

__“Then I don’t fucking care.” He spat. Even Gavin had never looked at an android with so much hatred before. Damn._ _

__Hank cut in then, “What my irritating colleague is trying to say is that if you tell us who supplied you with the device, we can get you a nice cozy cell at a minimum security prison where you _won’t_ become somebody’s bitch on day one.” He gave him a look and Morgan seemed to understand the implication. _ _

__Some of his bravado gone, he spoke again, “Look, I don’t know the guy’s name. All I know is he knocked on my door one day and told me that I could get my revenge on androids and handed me that.” He nodded towards the device before looking straight at Nines. “Androids ruined my life. I was happy to watch them suffer. It’s just unfortunate that I didn’t kill you.”_ _

__Gavin heard Connor shift uncomfortably in his seat and he almost felt bad for him. Almost._ _

__Nines frowned, and if Gavin didn’t know any better, he’d say that the comment had gotten under his skin. “You have me confused with my predecessor, but I assure you that you did not kill him.”_ _

__“What a shame.” Morgan growled before Hank cleared his throat loudly._ _

__“Look, jackass, is there anything else you want to tell us? Or do you want to just head straight over to max security? I gotta tell ya, I don’t give a shit what happens to you. He’s the one who wants to go easy on you.” Hank gestured to Nines before crossing his arms._ _

__Morgan scoffed, but said, “I told you I don’t know who it was.”_ _

__“Can you tell us what he looked like?” Nines asked, all business once again. “Any defining features? Was he definitely male?”_ _

__It seemed like Morgan was now electing to ignore Nines as he looked to Hank and said, “He was a white guy. He was wearing a nice coat. Probably cost good money. He told me he had more devices.” Well, shit. Gavin had been afraid of that. Who knew how many of those things had been given out? This case was never going to end. Morgan continued, “I sincerely hope whoever he was manages to wipe out every single one of those things in Detroit before you catch him.”_ _

__Hank’s eyes narrowed and Gavin had a feeling he was contemplating violence before a smile that was more intimidating than anything, lit up his face. “Thank you for you time, Mister Morgan.” With that, he stood and both he and Nines exited the room._ _

__Connor stood from his chair and Gavin turned to look at the door as it opened, and the two shuffled inside._ _

__“Lieutenant, I must say that you and I make a great team.” Nines beamed at the old man, who let out a long suffering sigh._ _

__“Yeah, sure.” Hank agreed, against his will._ _

__Gavin glanced at Connor who looked like someone had just spit in his cheerios before saying, “I bet you woulda got a lot more out of him if you’d let him fry the tin can. Would’ve been more entertaining, at least.”_ _

__Hank’s mouth twitched and Gavin could tell he was forcing himself not to smile. “As tempting as that sounds, I don’t think there _is_ anything else to get out of him. He’s clearly not the mastermind here.” _ _

__“Perhaps there are some surveillance cameras in the area that Detective Reed and I missed on our first trip. We should go back to the property to see if there’s anything we can find.”_ _

__“He didn’t tell us everything.” Connor said suddenly. He was frowning at the glass once again as all eyes turned to him. Gavin saw the LED on his temple begin to spin yellow again and, on a hunch, looked back to Nines’ who’s LED was also yellow._ _

__Without another word, Connor stalked to the door._ _

__“Where the hell are you going?” Hank asked grumpily._ _

__Ignoring him, Connor exited the room, and Gavin turned his head to see him enter the room over._ _

__Morgan perked up when he saw him, uttering, “You.” as Connor sat down._ _

__“You didn’t manage to kill me the first time.” Connor said, as he ripped open the evidence bag that held the device. “Tell me who gave this to you, and I’ll give you another chance.”_ _

__All three figures watching the scene tensed as Morgan eyed the android skeptically, asking, “Why the hell would you do that?”_ _

__Unexpectedly, Connor smirked at this, “I have a death wish.”_ _

__“Clearly.” Morgan said, obviously wanting to believe that Connor would just let him cook him like a sausage a second time. He wasn’t that crazy. Was he?_ _

__He held the device just out of Morgan’s reach as he demanded, “Tell me his name. You were lying when you said you didn’t know. I want his name.”_ _

__Gavin swung around to look at Nines then, demanding, “What did he say to you? In your head. I just watched you have a conversation.”_ _

__Nines’ expression was perplexed and intrigued at the same time as he answered, “He asked me how long it takes me deactivate the EMP device. I answered that it takes me approximately 30.6 milliseconds. He then asked me to reactivate the device, so I did.”_ _

__Gavin made a strangled noise, “You _what_?” He glanced back into the room and noticed the little blinking red light that indicated that the thing was very much active._ _

__“ _Shit!_ ” Hank tried to move to the door, but Nines gripped his arm, holding him in place._ _

__“Mister Morgan has not yet relinquished the name.” Nines said sternly._ _

__With his free hand, Hank pulled his gun from his belt, aiming it at the android’s head. “Let me go or I swear to God I will shoot you straight in the fucking face.”_ _

__“If you do that, Lieutenant, I won’t be able to disarm the device.”_ _

__Gavin looked back to the two in question as Hank spat, “If you think I’m gonna let that _fucker_ zap my son with that thing again, you’re sadly mistaken.”_ _

__“GUYS.” Gavin yelled to get their attention._ _

__A split second later, Connor slapped the device in Morgan’s hand, not moving his own until the man finally gave in, “He called himself the Ringleader. That’s all I know about him. I swear.”_ _

__With a nod, Connor pulled his hand back and Gavin’s heart dropped as Morgan scrambled to press the button and… nothing. Nothing happened._ _

__“Thank you for your help, Mister Morgan.” Connor said, imitating the smile Hank had given him only moments ago._ _

__As he moved to stand, Hank ripped his arm out of Nines’ grip and stomped out of the room, shouting, “DIDN’T WE JUST FUCKING TALK ABOUT YOU DOING STUPID SHIT?” and he all but dragged Connor from the room while Morgan frantically pressed the button over and over as if that would make it work._ _

__They didn’t return and Gavin wondered where exactly Hank had taken Connor. Most likely somewhere quiet so that he could continue screaming at him without watchful eyes._ _

__Rubbing his forehead, Gavin eyed Nines. “What is that face for?” He asked, exhaustion in his voice._ _

__Nines was busy still staring at Morgan as he answered, “That was an unexpected situation. Connor put himself in immediate danger to obtain the information we needed, despite having a very clear memory of the pain it had caused him.”_ _

__Gavin shrugged at this, “Guess he knew you could do it.”_ _

__“That was quite a bit of faith to put in my abilities.”_ _

__With a yawn, Gavin said, “You should feel special, then. Me, I feel exhausted. I’m going the fuck home to bed. And do not show up at my apartment, tin can, or I actually will shoot you in the fucking face. Good night.” He stalked to the door, already excited to pass out._ _

__“Good night, Detective Reed.” Nines answered and he was still in the same spot as the door closed behind Gavin._ _

__Fucking androids._ _

**Author's Note:**

> Tbh I don't know how long this will be. I have a few chapters written out already, but who really knows until its over am I right? As always, I appreciate any feedback! Thank you for reading!


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